Kovalainen supports Marko regarding Hadjar's tears.

      "That was truly the worst moment of my life."

      By GMM

      17 March 2025 - 09:36

      Opinions are divided regarding Dr. Helmut Marko's comments on rookie Isack Hadjar’s "tearful display" in Melbourne on Sunday. After the new Racing Bulls driver showed promise in practice and qualifying, he was devastated after crashing before even finishing the formation lap for the Australian GP. The 20-year-old French-Algerian was seen crying from his damaged car to the paddock, with Lewis Hamilton’s father, Anthony, rushing to provide support. "That means a lot to me," Hadjar later remarked. "He understood precisely how I felt and how down I was, coming to me during my worst moment." He also mentioned that F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali visited the junior Red Bull team’s facilities at Albert Park to lend his support. "That was very kind of them," said Hadjar, the 2024 Formula 2 runner-up. "They've witnessed many drivers encounter such lows, and for them to come to me like that was truly compassionate." Hadjar described his failure to get his car onto the slippery Melbourne grid as "truly embarrassing," adding, "That was really the worst moment of my life."

      However, Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s notoriously tough advisor and driver manager, believes Hadjar should feel embarrassed for a different reason. The 81-year-old stated that the latest Red Bull rookie in Formula 1 "put on a tearful show" in Australia, chuckling, "That was a bit embarrassing." Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher was critical of Marko’s stance. "I personally wouldn’t have cried," the German told Sky Deutschland, "but this is an extremely challenging moment for a young driver. It was his first race, and until that point he had performed excellently. It’s devastating to let your team down at the end. At Red Bull, you quickly start to fear for your future, considering Helmut’s reputation. Frankly, I don’t understand what’s embarrassing about shedding tears."

      On the other hand, Hadjar received support from Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer, who commented, "This can happen to anyone under these circumstances. One small, insignificant mistake, and it’s all over. Now we’re looking to the future; we have another race next week." Hadjar responded, "It’s reassuring to see that I have this support from the team. It means a lot to me." Former F1 driver Heikki Kovalainen had a different perspective, stating, "I confess I’m not a fan of these emotional crying stories," the Finn told Viaplay. "This is a tough sport, and the mental aspect has to be strong. Crying won’t change anything." Hadjar concluded, "I’ve encountered similar lows, but this one is particularly challenging. My journey to Formula 1 wasn’t smooth; it was quite brutal. I consider myself resilient, but this one really hits hard."